Eating Well in Saigon

food in Saigon, Vietnam

During the final month in Vietnam, we moved to Saigon (officially Ho Chi Minh City) in the far south of the country. Food in the south was lighter than in the north, and there were many more vegetarian options available.

Vegetarian Food

From noodle dishes to tofu to spring rolls, Saigon had tons of vegetarian options. I'm not vegetarian, but I've always enjoyed vegetarian dishes. I especially liked these bright and colorful spring rolls.

 

colorful vegetarian spring rolls

Delicious vegetarian food at a tiny local restaurant

Soups and Noodles

Pho in the south is different than in Hanoi. In the north, it's usually served with a chili sauce, bean sprouts, and lime.  Southern pho broth is a bit darker, and the soup itself is served with tons of vegetables and herbs to add to your bowl.

Pho wasn't the only type of noodle dish that we ate in Saigon, though!

a bowl of noodles stuffed full of vegetables

Saigon-style pho
Crab noodle soup - one of our favorite dishes in Saigon

Rice Dishes

Of course, plenty of dishes were served over rice. Some of my favorite dishes in Vietnam were barbecue duck on rice. Absolutely delicious!

duck on rice

Grilled duck rice

One of the most interesting and unusual restaurants where we ate in Vietnam was the Propaganda Bistro, located right in the center of Saigon.